A Welcome Letter from Mrs. Rains!
Dear Delta Kelly,
I am thrilled to be a member of the Delta Kelly community as the Information Literacy Specialist! This year marks my thirteenth year of teaching for Rochester Community Schools. Prior to this role, I was a Language Arts Resource teacher at West Middle School for seven years and spent my first year teaching at Hamlin and Meadow Brook Elementary. I graduated from Michigan State University (Go Green!) in May of 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. The following year, I also earned a Master's Degree in Special Education. From there, I attended Oakland University to earn my Ed. Specialist degree in Educational Leadership. Currently, I am pursuing my doctoral degree from University of Michigan-Flint (Go Blue!) and focused on creating a Culture of Thinking in a maker-centered environment. A product of Rochester Community Schools, I attended Long Meadow Elementary School, West Middle School and Rochester High School. My parents continue to live in the same house I grew up in for all of my childhood in Rochester Hills, and will definitely be helping out with the maker space in the media center. My husband, Tyler, and I currently reside in Oakland Township. We celebrated our sixth anniversary in July. This past year, we welcomed our two twin boys, Carter and Riley, who are certainly keeping us on our toes at home! Throughout my years in education, I have always believed whole-heartedly that no matter what skills and abilities students bring into the classroom, they can demonstrate growth. Cooperative learning and a mutual respect of ideas is a part of everything we do and say. I trust that students can teach, and teachers can learn. All students have a voice, and it is my job as an educator to encourage them to prove it. For that reason, I create a positive and safe environment where individuals feel comfortable taking risks. Who knows...we might even laugh a little. But seriously, my "classroom" is an enjoyable and engaging place. I look forward to meeting all of your throughout the school year. Please feel free to stop by the media center anytime. Warm wishes for a great year! Mrs. Rains "Children grow into the intellectual life around them." ~Lev Vygotsky |
My Philosophy.
I believe in the power of student and teacher voice, creativity, and innovative potential. As Tom Kelly stated, “We are all artists.” Designing schools that empower all to contribute their talents and gifts to the world is my passion. This may mean redesigning some aspects of what it means to attend school, emphasizing the dispositions we want our kids to have as adults, and teaching “what really matters” to students beyond the scope of classroom content alone. My teaching practice is largely influenced by the research of Harvard University's Project Zero, especially in the areas of teaching for understanding, creating a culture of thinking, and encouraging agency by design. Throughout the year, I will plan to share videos, articles, and other information in these areas.
Doing School Differently
Teaching beyond the four walls of the classroom means connectivity in a way we do not traditionally see in schools. In a TED Talk, MOMA designer Paola Antonelli mentioned, “Really good designers are like sponges. They really absorb every kind of information that comes their way.” Really good educators are also like sponges. We need to create opportunities for students to examine the world around them in a real way. This includes modeling what it looks like to be a learner, risk-taker, and innovator—pushing beyond our comfort zones to explore and share new ideas, perspectives, and experiences with students.
Technology used as a tool to connect in and out of the school environment seamlessly
Students have more control/take more responsibility for their learning
Learning as a Community
The Power of Multiple Perspectives
Doing School Differently
Teaching beyond the four walls of the classroom means connectivity in a way we do not traditionally see in schools. In a TED Talk, MOMA designer Paola Antonelli mentioned, “Really good designers are like sponges. They really absorb every kind of information that comes their way.” Really good educators are also like sponges. We need to create opportunities for students to examine the world around them in a real way. This includes modeling what it looks like to be a learner, risk-taker, and innovator—pushing beyond our comfort zones to explore and share new ideas, perspectives, and experiences with students.
Technology used as a tool to connect in and out of the school environment seamlessly
- Google Classroom
- Website creation to post and communicate
- Social Media (Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo)
- Google Hangouts and Facetime
Students have more control/take more responsibility for their learning
- Scaffold autonomy (student independence) with clear expectations for thinking and interacting
- Determine overarching understanding goals while creating flexibility on how to demonstrate growth and understanding
- Students independently facilitate class thinking and learning, directing their own learning
Learning as a Community
- Students contribute ideas, feedback, and documentation to design professional learning opportunities for themselves and others
- Teacher models growth mindset and transparently share realities (fear of public speaking, an idea that didn’t go as planned, successful moments, etc.)
- Students and teacher keep journal of new ideas and experiences; share together weekly via hand-written documents or Google Docs.
The Power of Multiple Perspectives
- Connection with people from a variety of perspectives and cultures; share stories of multiple points of view on a subject with students via Twitter, video or blogs.
- Actually explore topics we are studying in real time
- More ideas, research, information to drive future learning forward